Strong Earthquake near Iran nuclear plant kills three

World News – A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck on Tuesday near the Gulf port city of Bushehr, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant, killing at least three people, state television and officials said on Tuesday.

The nuclear power plant was undamaged by the earthquake, Bushehr’s governor Fereydoon Hasanvandon said. “No damage at all has been caused” to the plant, he told state television.

Shocks from the quake were felt across the Gulf in Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, provoking panic in some office towers, witnesses reported. The epicentre was in the Kaki area, nearly 90 kilometres (55 miles) southeast of Bushehr, seismologists said.

There was no immediate word on any damage to the nuclear plant from the quake, which struck at 4:22 pm (1152 GMT) at a depth of 12 kilometres (7.5 miles), the Iran Seismological Centre said.

The US Geological Survey, which monitors quakes worldwide, ranked the quake at a more powerful 6.3 magnitude. Iranian media said search and rescue teams had been dispatched to the area. Telephone connections were cut.

The seismological centre reported six aftershocks, the strongest at 5.3 magnitude. Agencies